000342923 001__ 342923
000342923 005__ 20230827173407.0
000342923 0247_ $$2CORDIS$$aG:(EU-Grant)101075944$$d101075944
000342923 0247_ $$2CORDIS$$aG:(EU-Call)ERC-2022-STG$$dERC-2022-STG
000342923 0247_ $$2originalID$$acorda_____he::101075944
000342923 035__ $$aG:(EU-Grant)101075944
000342923 150__ $$aMicroplastic contamination in agricultural soil ecosystems and the effect on soil and plant health$$y2023-05-01 - 2028-04-30
000342923 372__ $$aERC-2022-STG$$s2023-05-01$$t2028-04-30
000342923 450__ $$aMiCoS$$wd$$y2023-05-01 - 2028-04-30
000342923 5101_ $$0I:(DE-588b)5098525-5$$2CORDIS$$aEuropean Union
000342923 680__ $$aPlastics are found in nearly every environment and disrupt key ecosystem services. While the effect of plastic in marine and freshwater ecosystems has been studied extensively, effects of plastic on soil ecosystem functions such as plant growth, microbial biomass and water permeability have been mostly overlooked, particularly for the smallest particles, the microplastics (MPs; ≤ 5 mm). The lack of appropriate techniques and methodologies for sampling, extraction and detection hamper the research concerning MP distribution in soil ecosystems. This research gap has led to fragmentary knowledge and even contradictory results in MP studies on soil ecosystems, as different concentrations, sizes, shapes and MP polymer types were considered. Therefore fundamental insights in the role of MPs on soil and plant health are missing. We will advance the field by working in a three step approach to mechanistically define how MP pollution outbalances the soil (and plant) ecosystem. First, the risk of MP pollution in soil will be assessed by correlating MP concentrations of 240 soils with soil health indicators. To measure the MP concentration, a fast, cost-effective and standardized method to detect, identify and quantify MPs (≥ 1 µm) in soils will be developed. Second, these correlations between MPs and the soil health indicators will be validated and tested in greenhouse experiments, to understand the biological underpinnings that drive these correlations. MP induced changes in plant growth, plant disease susceptibility, soil texture, soil chemical composition and the microbial community will be studied. Third, to reduce the risk (introduction and accumulation) of MPs in soil ecosystems, we will actively search for biodegrading organisms making use of a novel sequencing approach. With this multidisciplinary approach, we will be able to mechanistically define the effects of MPs on soil and plant health and advance the field by identifying plastic-biodegrading microorganisms.
000342923 909CO $$ooai:juser.fz-juelich.de:1012283$$pauthority:GRANT$$pauthority
000342923 909CO $$ooai:juser.fz-juelich.de:1012283
000342923 980__ $$aG
000342923 980__ $$aCORDIS
000342923 980__ $$aAUTHORITY